It is known that a lyophilization and/or sterilization machine is a complex device where the product is transformed, inside a processing chamber, for example a lyophilization and/or sterilization chamber, into a substance that maintains the characteristics of the original product, but without water.
A lyophilization and/or sterilization machine generally comprises said processing chamber, inside which at least a loading plane is disposed, on which the containers are leaned and disposed, generally in an ordered manner, and in which the substances contained therein are subjected to lyophilization and/or sterilization.
There is also normally a movement apparatus present, the function of which is to load and/or unload the loading plane, and possibly another displacement apparatus located in front of the processing chamber, the function of which is to position the containers that will then be loaded onto the loading plane, and also to discharge them once they have been removed from the loading plane.
There is also a preparation plane present, fixed or mobile in relation to the loading plane, onto which the containers arrive for loading or unloading the loading plane.
One or more rows of containers to be introduced into said lyophilization chamber are normally organized on the preparation plane. Moreover, the rows of containers exiting from the lyophilization chamber are progressively taken onto the same preparation plane, to be sent elsewhere.
A processing chamber of the type in question also has at least a sealing door, which separates the chamber from the surrounding environment.
A lyophilization and/or sterilization machine normally works at low temperatures, even as low as around −50° C.
The pressures that can be reached in the lyophilization and/or sterilization chambers can also reach 0.3 mbar.
In some exceptions, such machines can reach high temperatures. Machines are also known that can reach as much as 140° C. and more, to perform the sterilization.
Machines are known which perform functions of lyophilization and sterilization.
Hereafter, and in the claims, the term lyophilization machine will include both a lyophilization machine, a sterilization machine and a lyophilization and sterilization machine.
Given the pressures and temperatures at which a processing chamber, for example a lyophilization chamber, can work, it is quite clear how important it is to ensure that said machine has no infiltrations or thermal or fluid bridges, even if controlled.
Given the products that are to be transported therein, it is also necessary that there are means present that cannot be subjected, directly or indirectly, to leakages and/or the production of powders and/or pollutant products. It is therefore necessary that said chambers do not have inside them, either temporarily or permanently, structures that in themselves generate powders and/or pollutant products, or suffer leakages or heat bridges.
It is therefore important that, inside it or in temporary connection with the inside, the lyophilization machine has the lowest number of elements that can affect the power required, the cycle times and the contamination of the environment inside the machine.
Furthermore, since the products treated inside the containers can be substances used for pharmaceuticals or food, there must not be sources of pollutants, contaminating products or powders inside the processing chamber, nor must there be energy sources, electric or magnetic or other type of sources that can or could interact with one or another of the substances in the containers.
It is known to provide that the lyophilization chamber cooperates with one or two thruster bars that thrust rows of containers to be subjected to, or already subjected to lyophilization, inside or outside. The bars are driven by thrusters or drive means that extend outside the lyophilization machine.
These solutions not only generate and/or maintain possible communication paths between the outside and the inside of the processing chamber, but also generate possible powders or pollutant substances, so that they require controls and connected cleaning cycles that are frequent and costly.
For certain loading and/or unloading operations of the containers onto/from the loading plane, it is also known to use a robot having several degrees of freedom of movement. In this case the chamber, for example lyophilization chamber, is not affected by external factors during the lyophilization cycle, but large bulks are affected in front of the access compartment for the installation and movement of the robot, creating a useless occupation of space and problems during cleaning and maintenance. Such problems increase overall times and therefore affect the processing cycles.
Devices are also known for moving containers for lyophilization machines that allow to load and unload containers by thrusting them, from loading planes inside the processing chamber, but which have the disadvantage that they remain at least partly inside the chamber also during the processing. This entails frequent maintenance operations and cleaning of such devices because, since they remain in the processing chamber, they are subjected to potentially damaging work conditions, and also because they introduce a risk factor for the contamination or dirtying of the processing chamber.
Systems are also known that include cars, which sweep the planes where the containers are amassed, so as to load and unload the containers. These known cars are driven by linear motors whose positive part acts on the negative part of the linear motor. The linear motors extend both inside and outside the processing chamber.
If the active part of the active linear motors is fixed inside the processing chamber, possible magnetic forces, continuous or residual, are inadmissible when there are certain substances present in the containers.
One purpose of the present invention is to obtain a movement apparatus, suitable to load and/or unload products on loading planes, so that once the plane or planes has/have been loaded, the movement apparatus does not remain confined inside the processing chamber, for example the lyophilization and/or sterilization chamber, at the same time maintaining a compact and limited configuration of the service spaces inside the chamber.
Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain a movement apparatus that does not require frequent maintenance interventions or cleaning cycles for the lyophilization and/or sterilization machine.
Another purpose of the present invention is to simplify both the steps of maintenance and cleaning of the lyophilization and/or sterilization machine.
Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain a movement apparatus that does not generate pollutant products during the loading and/or unloading and transport steps.
Another purpose of the invention is to obtain a movement apparatus that is reliable and precise in moving the containers, that has a movement as consistent as possible with the desired trajectories and that is easily adjustable and alignable even during use.
Another purpose is to prevent devices or parts of devices from remaining inside the processing chamber that generate or emit magnetic, electric or other type of forces, even only in residual form.
Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain an autonomous movement apparatus.
Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain a movement apparatus that can be managed by a station also disposed at a certain distance from the machine, and possibly can be managed automatically.
Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain a movement apparatus that can be managed by control and management means.
Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain a movement apparatus suitable to transfer itself on, and operate with, a movement and transport and at least temporary storage plane.
Another purpose is to obtain a movement and transport plane, temporally operating on the front of the lyophilization and/or sterilization machine and suitable to cooperate with other machines and/or operating stations according to desired sequences.
Another purpose is to obtain a movement, transport and at least temporary storage plane which uses one or more autonomous movement apparatuses.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.